The purpose of the project is to develop and evaluate the tape recorded paired comparison technique as a means of selecting appropriate hearing aid performance characteristics for particular individuals. The "adjustable" aspects of performance (e.g. slope and bandwidth of frequency response) will receive primary consideration but, in addition, the technique's ability to detect poor "quality" of performance (e.g. nonlinear distortion) will be tested. The method is based on the premise (which will be tested) that people can select those performance characteristics that will provide near optimal intelligibility using a rapid two alternative forced choice paradigm. A number of projects are proposed in support of this effort which have general import as well. Among these are studies of: 1) a frequency response measurement method not requiring an anechoic space but which includes nearly all diffraction effects; 2) the effect of room characteristics on the results of the HAE; 3) the relationship between subjective preferences, hearing aid performance characteristics and speech intelligibility; 4) a method of selecting candidates for binaural amplification; 5) the acoustical factors which affect frequency response and level of hearing aid's output when worn by individuals with particular physical characteristics; 6) the amount of difference it takes in a hearing aid to make a difference in human performance and 7) various other studies which are of somewhat less general importance because they relate specifically to the development of the tape recorded paired comparison method.